Friday, April 4, 2014

The Brooklyn Nets will be back at the Barclays Center looking to bounce back from an embarrassing loss on Wednesday night in Madison Square Garden against the Knicks. Brooklyn is currently 2.5 games behind the Toronto Raptors in the Atlantic Division, and will be looking for some help on Friday from the Pacers, who will be in Toronto.

Match-Up of the Game: Brandon Jennings vs. Deron Williams

The match-up of the game for the Brooklyn Nets has to be at the Point Guard position, as the Nets small lineup will no doubt have their hands full with the monster front court of the Pistons; it puts pressure on Williams to have to outplaying Jennings, and control tempo. In the three games that Jennings has played against Brooklyn this season, despite a poor shooting percentage his stats are pretty good. In the three wins the Pistons have this season against the Nets; Jennings is averaging 16 points, 7.7 assists, and five rebounds per game. Williams has missed one of the losses to the Pistons, but in two games his assist numbers are down at just 4.5 per game, but he is averaging 16 points which is a bit above his season average.

- Rebound

In the Nets three losses to the Pistons this season it has been the frontcourt of the Pistons that have really hurt Brooklyn, as they have been able to dominate the painted area. In the three games, the Pistons are out-rebounding the Nets by 10.3 per game, and out-scoring them in the paint by and average of 23.3 points, which is ridiculous. Andre Drummond has been the main problem for the Nets, as in the last two games the up and coming young Center is averaging 19 points and 17.5 rebounds per game. Kevin Garnett will be missing his 19th straight game so Plumlee will once again be asked to shoulder the load at the Center position.

- Series Sweep

Detroit will be looking for an impressive season series sweep against the Nets, after what has been a disappointing season for a team that had to think with all its off-season moves and a weak Eastern Conference that they would be in the playoffs. Pulling off the sweep will be no easy task however with the Nets at home being backed by a 14-game home winning streak. If the Pistons can pull of the sweep it will be the first time since the 2007-08 season that they did, as that year they won all three games against the then New Jersey Nets.

It was a rough opening series for the New York Mets, as they
were handled rather easily by the Washington Nationals. It was the first time
that the Mets were swept in their opening series in nine years, and it was
tough to watch at times. Here are some takeaways from the three-game opening
series from Citi Field.

-Positives

The Mets starting rotation, at least through one series, has
been a bright spot. All three starters, Dillon Gee, Bartolo Colon and Zack
Wheeler, had quality starts to begin the season. Gee was especially strong,
probably the most deserving of a victory of the starters, as he retired 15
straight batters after allowing a two-run home run to Adam LaRoche. Colon
and Wheeler both surrendered three runs in six innings, finishing with
identical 1.50 WHIP as well. The big blemish for Colon
was surrendering a homerun to the opposing starting pitcher Gio Gonzalez.

Juan Lagares was arguably the best position player the Mets
had against the Nationals. No matter where manager Terry Collins put him in the
lineup, Lagares produced. He hit leadoff, second and sixth, and not only did he
register a hit in each game, he had at least one extra base hit in each game as
well. Lagares finished the series 5-11, with two doubles, a triple and home
run, and drew one walk. He scored four runs, and had two RBI as well. Lagares is in the lineup most nights because of the defense that he provides, so any addition production he gives at the plate should be viewed as an added bonus.

Thursday, April 3, 2014

In what is a stretch of important games to finish the season that the New York Knicks need to win, they came out with the effort and passion of team fighting for a playoff spot, blowing out the Brooklyn Nets 110-81. It was a decisive win for the Knicks, who moved into eighth place in the Eastern Conference with the victory over the Atlanta Hawks, who lost to the Chicago Bulls. The Knicks will look to continue their winning ways Friday night, when they take on the Washington Wizards at MadisonSquareGarden.

Player of the Game: J.R. Smith

William Perlman-The Star-Ledger

Since calling out the team for the lack of heart and urgency that a playoff team shows, Smith has turned things on. His game has improved immensely, and he continued that strong play Wednesday against the Nets. Smith was on fire shooting the ball, making 9-16 shots overall and 6-12 from the three point line. He stuffed the stat sheet everywhere else as well, grabbing eight rebounds and handing out six assists. Smith is dynamic with the ball in his hands when his head is on straight, and is a capable distributor when he wants to be. With Smith playing this way the Knicks are a dangerous team not only finish out the season but possibly in the playoffs as well.

Wednesday, April 2, 2014

The New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets will be facing off in
a big game Wednesday night, as the Knick are fighting to get into the playoffs
and the Nets are looking to move up in the standings. The Knicks are coming off
their most successful west coast trip since 1999-2000 and will look to ride
that momentum tonight against their cross-town rivals. For the Nets, they
played last night and handled the Houston Rockets rather easily. Here are some
things to look for tonight in the Battle
of the Boroughs.

-Player News and Notes

The Knicks are staring at a big problem tonight, as Tim
Hardaway Jr. is questionable with an ankle injury. Hardaway Jr. injured the
ankle in the waning moments of the Knicks win Monday night over the Utah Jazz.
If he is unable to go, Iman Shumpert will be in line for an increase in minutes
and big role in the game plan. Amar’e Stoudemire should be back in the lineup
for the Knicks tonight after sitting out Monday with a planned day of rest.

For the Nets, they will still be without Kevin Garnett.
Garnett is not expected to make a return to the lineup until next week at the
earliest. Andrei Kirilenko was not able to play last night for the Nets and his
status is up in the air for the game tonight. Same goes for Marcus Thornton,
who missed Tuesday’s game with back problems.

The Brooklyn Nets were able to pick up yet another win at the Barclay’s Center, as with the victory against the Rockets on Tuesday night the Nets have now won 14 straight games at home. The win moves the Nets to (40-33) on the season, which is 1.5 games behind the Toronto Raptors in the Atlantic Division, and it also clinched the Nets a playoff berth in the Eastern Conference.

Player of the Game: Joe Johnson

In the win on Tuesday, the Nets got a huge performance from Joe Johnson, as he notched his fourth 30 point or more game this season. Johnson finished with a game-high 32 points on 13 for 21 shooting, which included him going four of eight from three-point range. In addition to the monster scoring game from Johnson, he was able to record four rebounds, three assists, and one steal to help him have the highest +/- of any player, with +17.

Positives:

Shaun Livingston put together a great game for Brooklyn, as normal he filled up the stat sheet, but on Tuesday he also broke out with big scoring game. Livingston finished only behind Johnson on the Nets in scoring with 17 points on six for 12 shooting. As expected Livingston did more than just have a good scoring game, as he had six rebounds, two assists, two steals, and one block.

The bench for Brooklyn continued to be good in the win, as once again they were able to have two players in double figures. Andray Blatche led the Nets bench with 13 points on six for 12 shooting to go along with four rebounds, two assists, and two blocks. Mirza Teletovic also played well off the bench, as he scored 10 points on four for seven shooting, with seven rebounds.

Negatives:

Even without one of the best Center’s in the NBA in Dwight Howard, the Rockets were able to do well on the glass against Brooklyn, as possibly the best backup Center in the NBA; Omer Asik had a big game on the glass. Asik finished with a double-double, as he scored 12 points on five for eight shooting, but most noticeably was the eye-popping 23 rebounds Asik had. The Rockets did win the rebound battle 44-42, which isn’t all bad for Brooklyn, but it is still a work in progress.

Next up for the Nets will be a trip to Madison Square Garden to face the rival New York Knicks and Carmelo Anthony on Wednesday night.

Tuesday, April 1, 2014

The New York Mets started the 2014 season with the same
problem they ended 2013 with; a leaky bullpen.

The Mets bullpen blew the lead they had built behind
starting pitcher Dillon Gee, and then imploded again in the 10th
inning. Gee deserved a better outcome than he received on opening day, as he
retired 15 straight Washington Nationals after allowing a two-run homer to Adam
LaRoche.

The first pitcher to really struggle was Bobby Parnell.
Parnell blew the save in the ninth inning, as Denard Span roped a double and
knocked in Ian Desmond. Parnell would surrender two hits, one walk in his
inning of work.

William Perlman/The Star-Ledger

The worst news for Parnell and the Mets came after the game,
when it was announced that Parnell has a partially torn ligament in his elbow.
Parnell complained of forearm tightness after the game, and tests revealed the
tear. He received a platelet-rich plasma injection in his elbow and will be
sidelined for about two-weeks before getting re-evaluated. The re-evaluation is
where it will be determined if Parnell needs to undergo surgery or not.

Monday, March 31, 2014

The New York Knicks were able to handle business Monday night, beating the Utah Jazz 92-83. The Knicks knew before halftime that they needed a victory tonight to keep pace with the Atlanta Hawks, who defeated the Philadelphia 76ers earlier in the night. The Knicks were able to do so, and will head back home with a 3-2 west coast trip and one game behind the Hawks for eighth place in the Eastern Conference. It was also only the second time this season the Knicks picked up a victory after trailing at halftime. Things will get difficult from here on out for the Knicks, as the remaining opponents on their schedule all hold records above .500. They will get back on the court Wednesday night to take on the cross town rival Brooklyn Nets.

Player of the Game: Carmelo Anthony

Rick Bowmer/AP Photo

Amar’e Stoudemire was unable to go tonight because of a scheduled day off, so Anthony knew he had to carry the scoring load. Carry the load he did, as he poured in 34 points on 11-19 from the field. Anthony had his jump shot going throughout the evening, knocking down 4-7 from beyond the three point line and sinking all eight of his free throw attempts. Anthony also grabbed eight rebounds to go with three assists, three steals and one block.

The Brooklyn Nets were once again able to win at the Barclays Center, as with their 114-99 victory over the Timberwolves they have made it 13 straight at the home. The win moves the Nets to (39-33), which is 2.5 games behind the Toronto Raptors in the Atlantic Division.

Player of the Game: Paul Pierce

For the second straight game Nets Forward Paul Pierce had a great game, and got off to a hot start once again. Pierce lit it up in the first quarter scoring 16 points, helping the Nets get off to a good start. Pierce finished with a game-high 22 points on eight for 11 shooting, which included him, going five of eight from three-point range. The only downside for Pierce in the game was that he got into foul trouble in third quarter.

Positives:

In the third quarter when the Nets got into foul trouble, Joe Johnson stepped up to help the Nets weather the storm from the Timberwolves. Johnson scored eight points in the third without Deron Williams and Pierce on the court. Johnson finished with 19 points on eight for 13 shooting, and he also became the 15th active player to reach 17,000 career points.

Brooklyn on defense did an excellent job against one of the better players in the league in Kevin Love, who is averaging a double-double on the season, but on Sunday the Nets held him in check. Love finished with just 14 points on five for 14 shooting, and maybe more impressive for the Nets is that they were able to keep in under 10 rebounds, as he finished with nine. As a team the Nets out-rebounded the Timberwolves by one, and even had more offensive rebounds than them.

The second unit for Brooklyn was very good in the win on Sunday, as it got big games from Andray Blatche and Alan Anderson. Blatche finished with 14 points, which led all bench scorers on seven for 11 shooting with six rebounds. Anderson was right behind Blatche with 13 points on five for 10 shooting, and Anderson also added five rebounds.

Negatives:

In what was a good win for the Nets there were few negatives, but Brooklyn was sloppy with the ball, as they turned it over 20 times. The high turnover amount played into the Timberwolves style of play. Corey Brewer and Kevin Martin were able to take advantage of opportunities in the open court, as they both played well in the loss. They each finished with 21 points, as for Brewer he did it on nine for 13 shooting, and for Martin he shot nine for 16 from the field.

Next up for the Nets will be a big test at home on Tuesday night against the Houston Rockets.

The New York Knicks were able to grind out a tough, hard earned victory Sunday night against the Golden State Warriors. The Knicks finally looked like a team fighting for their playoff lives as they put the effort and energy in to beat a superior team. The Knicks were able to take control of the game in the second quarter, and would not relinquish it throughout the second half. They bended but did not break as the Knicks were able to pull out the victory. With the win, the Knicks are now one game behind the Atlanta Hawks for eighth place in the Eastern Conference. The Knicks will look to finish the road trip 3-2 Monday night against the Utah Jazz before heading back home.

Player of the Game: The Bench

The bench has been much maligned for the Knicks recently, but tonight they were the catalysts to get the lead in the second quarter. Pablo Prigioni was inserted into the game and brought a different mentality to the team on both ends of the court. He was extremely aggressive and showed leadership by getting into his teammates when they were not in the correct positions. Prigioni wasn’t alone, as Tim Hardaway Jr. delivered a much needed scoring punch off the bench with 15 points. Iman Shumpert may not have shot the ball well, but he was able to stymie the Warriors explosive backcourt when he was in the game. Shannon Brown even gave the Knicks something without playing much in the game, getting the game sealing steal and knocking down two free throws after a clear path foul was called.

Sunday, March 30, 2014

The Brooklyn Nets will be at home on Sunday evening hosting the Minnesota Timberwolves, as the Nets look gain ground on the Toronto Raptors in the Atlantic Division. The Nets are (38-33) on the season, and still trail the Raptors by 2.5 games.

Match-Up of the Game: Kevin Love vs. Paul Pierce

Nets Forward Paul Pierce is going to have his hands full on Sunday night against one of the most dynamic players in the NBA in Kevin Love. Love is having a monster season for the Timberwolves, as the walking double-double is averaging 26.3 points and 12.4 rebounds per game. Pierce is going to have to worry about chasing Love at the three-point line, and then also box him out on the glass. Love isn’t the greatest defender however, so Pierce should be able to succeed on the offensive end of the court.

- Lucky 13

On Sunday the Nets will be looking to be victorious for the 13th straight time at the Barclays Center, as with the home winning streak it has allowed the Nets to have one of the better home records in basketball. The Timberwolves are one game above .500, but on the road they aren’t the same team, as they are just (15-21) this season. A bad road team heading in the Timberwolves heading to the Barclays Center seems like a good recipe for the Nets.

- Clincher

Brooklyn can lock up a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference tonight if they are able to defeat the Timberwolves, and if their rivals the New York Knicks lose to the Golden State Warriors. The Nets will definitely be a playoff team whether they clinch it tonight or not, but with their great play at home they certainly want to either win the Atlantic or hop the Chicago Bulls in the standings.

- Still Out

Once again the Nets will be without Center Kevin Garnett, who will be missing his 16th straight game with back spasms, and Forward Andrei Kirilenko will be out yet again with a sprained ankle, which will be his fourth game missed in a row.